1st Birthday Parties Tips

Games and Activities For The First Birthday

Throwing a first birthday party takes a little thought. If you're having a party with other babies, remember a few things about one-year olds and your first birthday party should go off without a hitch.

-Have enough toys available for babies, who tend to play next to each other, not with each other.

-Hold the party after most babies have had their afternoon nap so they are less tired and cranky

-Choose a place for the party that is familiar to the baby and where it feels safe and comfortable

-Balloons are not a great idea at a first birthday party because if they pop, the loud noise might frighten the babies and if they break, it becomes a choking hazard.
Little ones can also play the piñata for a first birthday party. Instead of swinging and hitting the piñata, get a pull-string version where little ones can keep tugging until the piñata breaks and delivers a trove of sweet goodies. You can choose from a numbered version, a cupcake, or rubber duck. If you see a version you want that's not a pull-string, just purchase the kit and you'll have an instant toddler friendly piñata game for your first birthday party.

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1st Birthday Party Supplies To Entertain Little Ones

When it comes to supplies, 1st birthday parties don't vary that much from other years. You still need festive plates, napkins, cups and decorations, but you can have fun with themes or whoever the trendy children's characters are at the moment. 1st birthday party supplies with characters from TV shows, like Sesame Street, are easy to come by. Typically, you can find matching plates, napkins and cups. Of course, there are always the old standbys, like princess-themed parties for girls and sports-themed celebrations for baby boys. Other options might be to decorate everything with the number one. Use numbered candles on the cake and decorate the party with banners adorned with the number one. Consider adding 1st birthday party supplies like a plush crown to denote baby's first year. For the more casual event, you can get your birthday boy or girl a birthday cap with the number one placed on the front. Other possibilities for 1st birthday party supplies for your budding toddler include first year themed t-shirts and buttons.

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Five Ways To Have A Successful 1st Birthday

If you're trying to decide what theme to plan your baby's 1st birthday around, you certainly have a wide variety of options to choose from. You can pick a theme for your baby's 1st birthday based on popular characters like Blues Clues, Winnie the Pooh, or Elmo. You can also pick a theme for a girl's 1st birthday in a fairy princess pink or for the boy's 1st birthday party, a boy's playtime theme in blue. Part of the fun of a 1^st birthday is dressing your baby in birthday apparel. Although everyone at the party will know who the birthday baby is, it's still fun to dress them up for photos. There are several popular items of clothing to let everyone know who is celebrating their first birthday.
Some ideas:

-Party hats with the number “1”

-1^st birthday bibs

-Happy Birthday hats

-Plush first birthday crowns or baseball hats

-“I'm the Birthday Boy” or “I'm the Birthday Girl” t-shirts

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How To Photograph Your Child's First Birthday Party

Taking pictures of your child's first birthday party will preserve memories which you'll cherish for years to come. If you want some hints on how to capture those picture perfect moments of your little one's first birthday party on film, read our how-to guide.

• Get down to your child's level and photograph from her perspective. Photos seen from a child's eye level gives you a better view of the festivities.
• Focus in on the party details like the cake, decorations, and presents. Fill the frame with the elements and details – it's a nice way to help tell the story of your child's first birthday party.
• Shoot a lot of candid photos. Though you'll certainly want to have some posed shots with family, friends, and your birthday tot, don't forget to keep snapping away at candid shots. Show scenes of the kids at play as well as kids interacting. It's also a good idea to shoot from afar as well as take photos right in the midst of the action.
• Take photos in a continuous burst mode if you have a camera which allows you to do so. You'll be able to capture fleeting moments, such as when your child takes that first bite of birthday cake.
  

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Games and Activities For The First Birthday

Planning games and activities for the guests of your child's first birthday can keep the event lively and fun. If you're short on ideas for games and activities, take a look at our ideas for entertainment during a first birthday party.

Duck Pond – For the outdoor first birthday, create a duck pond for your youngest guests to splash around in. Fill a kiddie pool with water and place several yellow rubber ducks and other floating objects. Remember to keep all infants, toddlers, and younger children supervised around water at all times.

Wagon Rides – Take a child's pull wagon and decorate it for the first birthday. Pull a few of the guests around for a ride. Add a toy horn the kids can squeeze for fun.

Sing Along – Make a tape of a familiar children's song and select a few well-placed pauses. Adults and kids can get together, sing along, and play with musical shakers – the trick is to get the whole group to stay silent during the pauses in the music.

Pin the Tail on the Donkey – Make a slight twist on this classic game. For instance, if your theme is clowns, play pin the nose on the clown. Use double sided tape and forgo the blindfold for the youngest players.

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Five Ways To Have A Successful 1st Birthday

Planning your baby's 1st birthday party can be stressful and exhilarating all at once. A 1st birthday is the all-important milestone marking your little one's foray away from infancy towards childhood. To plan a successful event you'll cherish well past your child's first steps, read our five pieces of advice on how to have a successful 1st birthday party:

1. Consider your baby's personality. Does she thrive in new environments or does she shy away from the crowd? For most 1st birthday parties, a simple get-together with fewer guests is better, but as the parent, you're the best judge of whether a soiree with 100 relatives and friends or an intimate party with the grandparents and a few play buddies is better.
2. Consider a theme for your baby's 1st birthday party. Pick one idea and plan around it. This will make decisions like what type of plates, decorations, cake, and games much easier on you when you're planning.
3. Plan activities to accommodate the different age groups. A baby-proof play-area for infants and toddlers works well, but don't forget older kids and the adults too. Adding music, some fun instruments, and singing is one way to allow the parents as well as the younger tykes to join in on the fun.
4. Make the timing right. A successful baby's 1st birthday party can be dependent upon the guest of honor staying happy and not cranky. Plan your party around a time which works best with your little one's routine. At the age of one, it's usually best to keep the festivities short.
5. Make sure the guests don't leave empty handed. Favors are one great way to add the finishing touch to your baby's 1st birthday. Some simple ideas include large rubber balls or inflatable ones, musical shakers, or finger puppets.

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1st Birthday Party Supplies To Entertain Little Ones

On the day of your child's 1st birthday, you'll need to keep on hand some items to entertain all of the younger guests. We've put together a list of 1st birthday party supplies for you, so when the day of the big event rolls around, you'll have plenty for your little one's playmates to keep busy with.

• 1st birthday supplies like large, colorful plastic balls and plastic containers to practice fine motor skills will keep infants as well as toddlers entertained.
• A fabric tunnel and tent to crawl through, walk through, or run through will keep toddlers and younger children busy.
• Large, fat, washable crayons and a large roll of white paper for doodling will give a creative outlet for all your younger guests.

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Throwing First Birthday Parties On A Budget

When some parents throw first birthday parties, the event's activities can become over-the-top. First birthday parties complete with a petting zoo, pony rides, clown entertainment, and live music aren't within everyone's budget. For folks who prefer to stick with a budget when planning baby's first birthday, we've compiled a list of ways to help you save:

• Plan the festivities at your home or at a park rather than paying for rental facility fees or the cost of paying for everyone's food at a restaurant.
• Coordinate your themed supplies with a matching color. Buying a complete set of themed party decorations like Thomas and Friends or Curious George can run up your budget. Instead, pick one item, like helium balloons, with the theme you want and then purchase coordinating colors for the remaining pieces like napkins, cups, and plates.
• Keep the menu simple at first birthday parties. You can make your own affordable self-serve deli area with an array of meats, cheeses, crackers, and dips.
• Slim down the guest list to the closest of family and friends. You don't have to invite every play date your one-year-old ever had at her first birthday. Mom, Dad, Grandparents, and a few close friends will still make a memorable first birthday event.

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How To Make Your Own 1st Birthday Invitations

Want to add a personal touch to your little one's 1st birthday? One way to do just that is by making your own 1st birthday invitations to send out to all of your guests. You'll need the following items:

• Fine quality paper
• Paper cutter
• Card stock
• Cement Glue
• Micro Hole Puncher
• Ribbon
• Envelopes

1. Using a computer, printer, and word processing program, format the date, event, time, place, and contact information. Keep the printable area within a 3.5”x5.25” zone. If you're creative, add some graphics based on the theme of your first birthday party or a few lines about your child. Print out the design on the fine quality paper and trim with a paper cutter to 4”x5.75”.
2. Trim the card stock to 4.5”x6.25”.
3. Using cement glue, brush an even layer on the back of the printed fine quality paper and affix it to the center of the card stock.
4. Using the micro hole puncher, create two holes on either side of the centerline of the top of the card. Leave about a 1/4” between the holes. (It might be helpful to measure the area and mark it with a pencil first.)
5. Loop the ribbon from the rear of the card to the front and tie in a bow or knot.
6. Insert the 1st birthday invitations into 4.75”x6.5” envelopes.
   

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Ideas For First Birthday Cakes

It's your baby's first birthday and you want to make the event special. If you're trying to come up with ideas for first birthday cakes, remember that you don't have to go with the standard square sheet or even a round version. Whether you're a whiz at baking or planning to use the services of a professional, here are some less than usual ideas for first birthday cakes.

• Create a first birthday cake fit for a king with a castle cake. Snack fruit rolls attached to wooden skewers make great flags and pretzel sticks lined in a row will create a bridge for your castle cake.
• Your party will go just swimmingly with a rubber duck cake. Use wedge shaped jelly candies for the beak on your rubber duck cake and add a heavy dose of blue frosting for the water surrounding the duck.
• For a truly magical first birthday cake, create a rabbit in a hat cake. Two layers of round cake can make up the hat while marshmallows will make up the rabbit.
  

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First Birthday: Take it Easy

There's really not too many activities you can do for a first birthday, so relax! For an easy afternoon or morning party, invite a few friends with kids of the same age and serve some easy finger food. For brunch, bagels, scrambled eggs, and a fruit salad work well. You can also choose to meet at a local tot park instead of having it in your home. You can pack some sandwiches and juice and just let the kids play. Instead of a big birthday cake, bring cupcakes instead. Take some group pictures if you can round everyone up together.

*Once they're older, your child will enjoy seeing who knew them that first year. Most parents find it best to plan on no more than a 2 hour party. Try to plan it around your child's naptime and don't expect too much.

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Quick Tips To Remember For First Birthdays

With all the excitment around your child's first birthday party, it's hard to remember everything. Here is a quick-hit list of things to remember when planning the party:

• Limit the number on your guest list if this is not a family party. The commotion of a lot of children and adults can cause the one-year old to become cranky.
• Be prepared for toddler tantrums, especially when struggles break out over the birthday gifts. Parents recommend opening presents right away (and then hiding them) or at the very end of the party, handing out favors at the same time so everyone gets something at once.
• For toddlers, the best time of day is usually mid-afternoon, when kids have napped and are in good moods. Avoid lunch-time parties at all costs; kids will be tired and hungry, but too excited to eat and rampant crankiness will be the result. A toddler party needs to be only one hour, and shouldn't go longer than an hour and a half.
• It is often hard on very young kids to sit and watch the opening of the presents. Tears and fights can break out over the toys. It is often a better idea to open gifts after young guests have gone home.
• For children three and under, an adult should stay for the party. It's a good idea to include the parents on the invitation if you think there could be any confusion. And be sure to plan extra food, etc. for those extra adults.
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First Birthday: Celebration Ideas

A first birthday is fun but shouldn't be overwhelming--for either the child or the parents. Set up a budget ahead of time so you don't get overwhelmed by all the ideas you see and feel like you need to buy too much. If you're having a large group of people over to celebrate, keep the food simple and light. Finger foods and easy beverages will be enough, especially if you're having the party in the morning when most young children are at their better behavior.

If you want to serve a meal at the first birthday, one of the best birthday tips is to make it something you can make ahead of time and let guests help themselves. Lasagnas, tacos, and sandwiches work well. Do as much ahead of time as possible so you can relax and enjoy your guests and the first birthday as well. Take some pictures of the birthday child and relax and enjoy yourself.

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First Birthday

If you're having other children over for a first birthday, create some fun placemats for the kids to take home after the party. You can print and laminate favorite coloring pages or collect a collage of photos of the birthday child, make color copies, and have them laminated.

Remember that first birthdays are really for the family of the child more so than for the child. If they have some friends they regularly see at the park, you might invite a few of them over for cupcakes in the afternoon. If you have family nearby, you might opt for a low-key brunch. Whatever you do, make it easy on yourself so you can enjoy your guests.

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First Birthday Around the World

Different countries around the world have different traditions for a child's first birthday. In Malta, Korea, and other countries parents lay a variety of items on the floor or in a basket near the child. Each item is representative of a different career or future. Whatever the child picks up first is supposed to foretell their future.

Often a child is dressed up on their first birthday and presented to family members. In Korea, the child is given money gifts. Create your own birthday traditions and some that you do every year. Decorate the birthday child's chair at the dinner table, let them pick the dinner menu, and have a special plate that's only used on birthdays.

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1st Birthdays & Christenings-When to Send Out Those Invitations

When planning for a first birthday party or for a christening, you should always complete your invitations well in advance of the actual event to ensure that you have enough invitations for everyone you want to invite. You'll want to send out the first birthday party invitation seperately from the christening invitation. Each of these invitations should be sent out at least two to three weeks in advance so that everyone can make plans to be at the event.

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